Teenagers Maddy Darke, Emma Hughes ready to make mark for Sydney Sixers in WBBL
She’s already represented Australia. Now Dover Heights cricketer Maddy Darke is hoping to make an impact for the Sydney Sixers this WBBL season.
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They are the Generation Next of Australian cricket.
Five teenagers who make up a third of the Sydney Sixers squad for WBBL/05.
Rising stars of the sport with their sights set on not just being Generation Next, but one day the Generation Best of Australian cricket.
The next Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy — stars they are now playing beside in the nets and on the field with the Sixers.
TEEN: Emma in for the long haul
No squad has ever before fielded such extensive young talent with three of the five still in school and all aged 18 and under.
NEW RECRUIT: From selfies with greats to a WBBL gig
And when the Sydney Sixers take to North Sydney Oval for the opening round of the first ever stand-alone WBBL on Friday night against cross-town rivals Thunder, at least one or two are hoping to be in the selection mix.
Interestingly Dover Heights cricketer Maddy Darke has already made her debut for Australia but has yet to play a WBBL game.
Even though we are all good mates it’s still very competitive
An opening bat and wicketkeeper, she toured England earlier this year and is expected to be a big hit this season.
“I’m so excited for it,’’ she said. “Looking from the outside it looks really exciting and I can’t wait to be part of it.
“And its cool to have people our own age around. We are all embarking on a new stage of our careers and this is such a fun way to kick things off.’’
Emma Hughes, who hails from Dubbo, plays for Penrith and lives in Coogee, also believes having players of a similar age will bring out the best in everyone.
“I’ve played against them before so it’s nice we are all in the same team now,’’ said Hughes, who will be sitting her HSC during the WBBL season.
At 16, Hayley Silver-Holmes is both the youngest and the most experienced of the quintet when it comes to Big Bash cricket.
Last December, when just 15, she became the youngest Sixers debutant in history in their season opener at North Sydney Oval.
Joining Darke, Silver-Holmes and Hughes in the squad are Manly’s Stella Campbell and spinner newcomer Alisha Bates from the Central Coast.
Bates is a promising left arm orthodox spinner, Campbell a fast bowler, fellow fast bowler Hughes is one of the most talented players to emerge from country cricket in recent times and Darke an opening bat and wicketkeeper.
Campbell hopes having other young teenagers in the team will lift everyone to a new level.
“It will encourage rivalry. Even though we are all good mates it’s still very competitive,’’ she said.
The Sixers finished runners up to heat in WBBL/04 and split their games with Sydney Thunder last season.
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On the opening weekend of the first stand-alone WBBL, the Sixers will take on Thunder on Friday night in a Sydney Smash before backing up against Heat in a replay of last season’s grand final on Saturday.